Bill And Sam Rivals With A Common Goal?

Both Bill Compton and Sam Merlotte may have more in common than you think.  Both of these guys are searching for acceptance, compassion, tolerance and ultimately, love. They have both struggled with who and what they are.  At the onset, these men seem to be rivals, opponents, if you will.  Bill asks Sam to watch over Sookie while he must stand before a judge of a vampire court and be disciplined.  What I find interesting is that when Bill returns to find Sookie and Sam in a most impassioned embrace, he fights Sam aggressively as if he wanted to kill him, however, Sam fights back fiercely and bravely.

I was taken aback by this since Bill has the immortal strength of a vampire; anyone one else would have been killed or seriously injured. Sam fought valiantly I thought, for someone his size, and showed his hostility and apparent rivalry towards a vampire. The fight causes Sookie to rescind Bill’s invitation, ejecting him from her home. For a moment, It looked like Sam had won out, as he had tried to turn her against Bill, mostly out of jealousy.  It seemed from the onset that these two guys were rivals and opponents  and yet at the end of the first season, Sam helped Sookie to save Bill. Similarly, at the end of the second season, Bill helps Sookie to save Sam.

I believe that they were motivated out of  love and concern for Sookie’s welfare to come together for her sake and briefly join forces. However, to me, Sam and Bill are not so dissimilar because they both want the same things:  recognition, acceptance, compassion, tolerance and certainly not least to be valued and loved for who they are.   Certainly, Sam along with Bill and Sookie were able to collaborate and put forth a joint effort to vanquish Maryann. Although Bill is my favorite character, I tend to favor Sam a bit more because I can empathize with his struggle. He tries so hard to fit in, to make a difference and he does.  Both Bill and Sam truly put forth a heroic effort in saving the townspeople from the diabolical plots of Maryann.

I feel badly for Sam because it seems he always gets the shaft. At least Bill has Sookie, but Sam is left alone.  A prolonged affair with Tara Thornton has fizzled and a seemingly promising romance with Daphne Landry, who was a shapeshifter like himself, ended in betrayal and heartbreak.  Sam’s feelings for Sookie were nearly totally non-reciprocated, not to mention being hounded and hunted by Maryann. It seems that Sam can never catch a break.  He’s always a target for trouble or hardship or heartbreak

Obviously there are differences. Bill is a vampire. Sam is a shapeshifter or shifter for short. Another thing, Sam is human, at least more so than Bill, who is a vampire and can be quite a predator; who can and does kill for blood or in defense, mostly of Sookie. Both Bill and Sam are looking for some meaning in their lives or un-life as is the case for Bill. Rivals at first, now I think it has progressed to an uneasy friendship if that.  Bill gave Sam his blood to save his life after he sacrificed himself to take down Maryann. Surely, after that they now have some kind of a bond, if an uneasy one. [Editor's Note: Will there be dreams of Bill in Sam's future?]

Perhaps now they can bury the hatchet and become friendly?  The common goal here is then to evolve and become the best beings that they can, not just for Sookie, but for themselves. If these men are not already fast friends they should be closer this season at least.  They are different to be sure, but they are also very much alike.

I would like to dedicate this article to Stephen Moyer and Sam Trammell: two incredibly gifted actors.

(Photo credits:  HBO Inc.)

Our Obsession with Vampires and Sex

Vampires and sex: they seem inextricably linked. Perhaps the title should have been re-phrased to ‘Why have Vampires started us obsessing over sex’? Whether it’s Dracula, True Blood, the Vampire Diaries or Twilight, vampires seem to have become synonymous with sex, sexuality and the forbidden. Given that the orgasm has been referred to as la petit mort (the little death), should we find it surprising that the act of vampirism is associated with sexuality?

Really, we can’t seem to escape these fanged creatures. They’re lurking everywhere and have become our newest obsession, or should I say, addiction? But why is this so? As Yvonne K. Fulbright suggests:

“In two words: vampire sex”

While some might throw up their hands in horror over the steamy hyper-sexuality exhibited by the inhabitants of HBO’s True Blood, vampires in books, films and television are and have always been associated with sex. The act of vampirism is, to put it mildly, an intimate one. It involves the mouth, an erogenous zone in itself, biting and sucking the victim. Need I say more? Hardly surprising then that this is intimately linked with forbidden acts, especially if we cast our minds back to Dracula’s Victorian London where sex and sexuality were as constrained as the corsets women had to wear back then.

As we now know, vampire legends predate Stoker’s Dracula; the traditional image of the vampire as a bloated creature feeding off decomposing corpses gave way to Polidori’s and Stoker’s re-imagination of the vampire. Through them, the vampire became linked with the aristocratic predator, which is also a staple of several fairy tales. For example, the character of the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood was a thinly disguised caricature of Louis XIV’s younger brother the Duke of Orleans, who ruthlessly seduced both men and women. The writers of Gothic fiction, such as Sheridan le Fanu, Polidori and Stoker probably devoured Baring-Gould’s account of the ruthless female serial killer Countess Elisabeth Bathory. Convicted in 1610 for murdering 80 young women, she became known as ‘The Bloody Lady of Cachtice’ for her bathing in her victims’ blood in the twisted belief that this would help her maintain her beauty and youth.

Polidori, Lord Byron’s physician, published The Vampyre in 1819, subsequently re-casting the blood drinking vampire as an attractive, charismatic anti-hero. Polidori, as we now know, based the vampire Lord Ruthven on his patient Lord Byron. Lady Caroline Lamb, Byron’s former lover, once described Byron as ‘mad, bad and dangerous to know’, also calling the villain in her novel Glenarvon Lord Ruthven. It’s widely believed that both Lady Caroline Lamb and Polidori were settling a score with the famous poet.

But it was Bram Stoker who gave us the image and characteristics of the modern vampire, although the book’s influence only grew in the 20^th century. Dracula also embedded the allegory connecting blood with sex whereby the sexual implications of the blood exchange between the vampire and his victim provides highly powerful psychosexual and erotic overtones. When Mina Harker drinks Dracula’s blood, giving Mina her first experience of sexual ecstasy, the sexual overtones are unmistakable,

Of course, F.W. Murnau’s German Expressionist Nosferatu undoubtedly returned the vampire to a gruesome monster. In Max Shreck’s performance, we see a vampire as a grotesque loathsome creature, not the charismatic fanged creature. But it was Bela Lugosi performance in 1924 that vampires are again re-made as the irresistible, polished, seductive and good-looking villain. Through Bela Lugosi, the modern vampire is rehabilitated, and now appears forever youthful inhabiting an in-between world where they are neither dead nor alive. As Y.K. Fulbright indicates:

“Bela Lugosi made vampires irresistibly handsome for modernity. But beyond hot bodies and good looks, it’s the male vampire’s depiction as the James Dean of Goth that holds the greatest appeal [...] these rebels are far from pure in thought and deed. Women can’t help but be drawn to these mesmerizing, misunderstood, moody bad boys.”

Moreover, unlike the earlier vampires, our modern bad boys are noticeably deviant and hyper-sexual involving

“Subtle storylines of sexual deviants flirting with fetishes [...] Since the 1950s, stories have become more overtly “sexplicit”, with more recent movies and TV shows depicting or alluding to frenzied, frantic sex with aggressive appeal.”

I guess we shouldn’t mince our words here because what the appeal modern vampire alludes to, how shall we say it…is that of S&M. As Y.K. Fulbright again notes:

“Vampires like it rough. They like to bite. And their victims love the bites, scratches and handcuffs as depicted in shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Sometimes sadomasochists attract what are known as “fang bangers” [...] people who have a thing for manhandle-me vampire sex role playing. The bondage, domination and submission themes mixed with ‘true love’ are perfect reason for stripping off your neck scarf or turtleneck.”

In short, these modern vampires allow us to get in touch with our primal side of sexual desires, which seldom see the light of day.

“The dangerous lust of a vampire torn between staying in control with very lick of his prey revs up your body much like a sexual response. And it’s delicious [...] When it comes to longing and lust, we love being preyed upon. Vampires go for one of the most sensitive erogenous zones, the neck, becoming even more magnetic as their victims beg for life, for death, for sex. ”

Needless to say, the vampires of HBO’s True Blood fulfill all these modern fantasies about vampire sexuality. Fascinating, dangerous, ambivalent and lustful. Yes, Vampire Bill and Viking vampire Eric Northman are all those. Creatures of uncensored sensuality, yes, the vampires who inhabit the Southern Gothic world of True Blood are all those too. Beautiful, immortal and titillatingly libidinous, these vampires aren’t afraid of their lustful natures. Nor do they fight them. They happily give in. They feel no guilt or shame. They are indeed bad and dangerous to know. In fact, these creatures of the night don’t ever need to do the walk of shame. These creatures don’t ever have to deal with the ‘morning after’. No sane human could ever be so free.

But let’s face it, they aren’t human either. Instead, they are something defiantly other, defying pragmatic reality, the creatures of our nightmares or fairy tales, depending on your leaning of course. And we are enthralled and obsessed by these wonderful creatures.

Source: Foxnews.com

Photo credit: HBO Inc.

Stephen Moyer Opens Up about Work and Family

With production on True Blood’s third season set to begin in a matter of days, Stephen Moyer took a break from filming the futuristic thriller Priest to discuss the path that has brought him to happiness and success. Sitting down with Red Magazine, Stephen talked about finding fulfillment as an actor and in life, with fiancee and co-star Anna Paquin.

At age 40, Stephen tries to dispel the notion that fame happens instantly. It is only because he was a steady working actor that he got the coveted part of soulful, brooding vampire Bill Compton. Alan Ball had been searching for five months without finding the right person. At the insistence of his agent, Stephen read the pilot script and was instantly drawn in. He never would have been in that position, however, without effort and motivation to continue developing as an actor:

“I haven’t had to take a bar job since I left drama school. People like to think that you’ve suddenly been discovered, but if I hadn’t been working all along, I would have had to give up by now.”

Quite unexpectedly, his new job on True Blood became another source of joy when he met, and fell in love with, his leading lady, Anna Paquin. Stephen knew how talented she was, having seen her perform on stage in London, in addition to her Academy Award for The Piano when she was only 11 years old. He was thrilled to be working with her:

“I’m excited by it, more than intimidated. It helps you bring your A-game, doesn’t it?”

From the very first time they met, they were constantly joking around. He loved her sharp wit, sense of humor and straightforward manner. With Stephen and Anna being the only out-of-towners in the True Blood cast, HBO put them in the same hotel during the pilot shooting and the two of them spent a lot of time together:

“I knew some people in town, but wasn’t based here. So, I’m basically alone and the other person I’m doing all my scenes with happens to be seven doors along. HBO has only themselves to blame.”

I’m sure HBO is pleased by the match! Since disclosing their relationship early this year, the paparazzi have been following Stephen and Anna all over the place. The show certainly benefits from the publicity of its likable, engaging stars.

But the pregnancy rumors do not seem welcome to Anna. Stephen tells the story of one red carpet event to which she wore a loose-fitting dress, sparking talk that she was hiding a baby bump. His sweet but clueless response:

“I was like, ‘Can’t you just be flattered that they think you would be [pregnant]?’ But the next time we went out, she wore the most fitted dress!”

The couple divides their time between homes in Los Angeles and London. Having grown up in England, Stephen’s parents are still there, and they are incredibly proud of his success. Imitating his mother, with what the interviewer calls “a touch of Ricky Gervais,” Stephen rambles:

“I always knew he had such a good eye for the ball. He could have been anything, he could have been a footballer — lovely shoulders — could have been a swimmer. Could have been anything.”

Well, his mom’s confidence was not misplaced. Stephen found his calling as an actor and excelled at it, arriving at this point in his life where he has a dream job on True Blood.

He’s also got the support of his family, which is soon to include Anna. Stephen’s daughter, Lilac, has recently moved to L.A. with her mother but his son, Billy, still lives in England with his mother. Stephen says that they talk on Skype every day. It is perhaps understandable, then, why he offers this wisdom:

“There is this idea that home has to be one place and I’ve only just realized that home really can be as many places as you want it to be.”

When the people you love are spread across continents, you make each one your home. A beautiful thought from a beautiful man. And he does indeed have lovely shoulders, just like his mom said.

SOURCE: Red Magazine via The Vault

(Photo credit: paquinanna.com)

VIDEO: Stephen Moyer Talks to PRIME about True Blood

Stephen Moyer’s  video interview with New Zealand’s PRIME network began with a discussion about how True Blood is one of the most intelligent and clever shows on TV right now. Stephen agreed saying that even if he was not a part of the show it is definitely something he himself would have gotten into. He claims a lot of the show’s success is due to the fantastic writing of Alan Ball and how he has such a talent for creating amazing hooks that get the viewer coming back for more.

The interview continues with a discussion of the complex relationships depicted in the series and the structure of the vampire society. Stephen explains that the way the vampires behave and the way one vampire will not disrespect another vampire brings a very old timey feel to the vampire culture. The humans on the other hand are the ones who are frail and are dealing with insecurities and addictions. Stephen thinks these differences between the two cultures is what makes the show so clever.

PRIME then asked Stephen what it is that he likes about his character, Bill Compton. Stephen goes on to talk about Bill’s background and how he feels that Bill is just trying to be a good person. He has felt great loss and to some extent has been able to recover from that but, he still carries it around with him which gives him this melancholy sense about him. Stephen thinks it is also important to note that even though Bill is doing his best to be a good person, the ultimate truth is that he is still a vampire. Bill tries not to kill the innocent but more over chooses those that are bad. Stephen even coined a little phrase for this, “crimes against Sookie“, since most people who try to cross or hurt Sookie won’t be around for long.

This led PRIME to ask Stephen about Bill’s relationship with Sookie. Stephen thinks the reason Bill is so attracted to Sookie is because she enables him to feel something that he thought was long dead to him, the ability to love. Stephen goes on to talk about some of Bill’s supernatural qualities and how he was very disappointed that Bill was not given the ability to levitate in the show as the character does in the Sookie Stackhouse novels. Stephen was then asked why he felt the show was so successful, not only in the United States, but all over the world. Stephen answered by saying that he feels Alan Ball has created a world that is just really fun. Stephen also said that the characters bring something to the show and how Alan keeps bringing in new characters and the story just continues to twist and turn. Stephen also talked about how he foresees Eric becoming Bill’s nemesis and vying for the love of Sookie. We will have to wait and see!

SOURCE: PRIME

Bill And Edward Vampire Gentlemen Or Bloodsucking Monsters?

What is it about vampires these days that captivates us, draws our attention, and keeps us enthralled as if under some irresistible enchantment.

Is it the “Lifestyle”?  Is it that they can act with full autonomy and freedom to love as they please or do as they wish without consequence?

Two of the most popular vampires these days are Vampire Bill Compton of True Blood and Edward Cullen of Twilight.

Both of these men try to be noble.  Both are deeply troubled. Both have learned to despise what they have become.  Both men are fiercely devoted to the ladies in their lives or un-lives.  Both of these story lines involve love triangles:  In Twilight, its Edward-Bella-Jacob, wherein True Blood its Bill-Sookie-Sam at first,  then its Bill-Sookie-Eric… or so it would seem.

The common thread that seems to bond these two together seems to be their ardent desire to try to evolve beyond what they have become.

Bill seeks to “mainstream” with humans. He wants desperately to be accepted and move toward integration. He would like people to judge him on merit and how he treats people, rather than the fact the he is a vampire and, to some people, a social pariah.  Edward Cullen feels the same way.  He also wants to be accepted and integrated with the humans.  Both of these undead gentlemen appear to want the same thing: tolerance, compassion, and respect of who they truly wish to be, not what people would characterize them as.

Both Bill and Edward seem to have been written as tragic anti-heroes; maybe not so much for Bill in the books, but very much in the HBO television series.

Bill Compton may be more of a tragic anti-hero though.  Partly because Edward Cullen does win the affection of his beloved and is able to build something of a life together with her.  For Bill Compton and his beloved Sookie, the road to lasting love may not be as smooth; not that it was for Edward and Bella either.

Both of these vampire gents want their special ladies to look beyond their vampire “deformities” and see them for who they truly are. Both Bill and Edward are seeking  acceptance, compassion, and respect for who they truly wish to be and not because they happen to be “monsters”.  These “Undead” gents want nothing more to “fit in” and “find their place” in a society that has all but rejected them.  It seems that when these men were “turned” that both of their “makers” saw some good in them and wanted to bring them into their “world”.  Carlisle Cullen saw a “son” perhaps one that he could never have otherwise.  Lorena saw a “good man” with a “kind heart” and wanted him for herself.  It seems that both of these vampire gents have known love, longing, sadness and being deeply troubled.  Both Sookie Stackhouse and Bella Swan saw this “brooding lovable anti-hero” aspect in their respective men.

(Photo Credit: HBO)

Sex, Blood and Vampires

Vampires seem to be, to borrow a phrase from the fashionistas, the new black right now. Unsurprising, really. They are hot, they don’t age, don’t need botox, and, judging from the raunchy HBO True Blood’s Bill Compton, Eric Northman and Pam, they look good in anything that’s black and leather.

The word vampire has almost become synonymous with Bram Stoker’s Dracula, one of the best-selling books of all time. Stoker’s Dracula is said to owe something to Vlad III of Wallachia who lived in the 15^th century and had a habit of impaling his victims on stakes. But Stoker’s conception of the vampire has shape-shifted and fragmented throughout the world in ways he would barely comprehend, and probably not even recognize.

Indeed, the vampire may seem to be a creature living on the margins of society, but we’ve always had a contradictory relationship with the vampire. Central to the stories humans tell each other, these creatures exist in folklore that stretch back through to ancient times. Almost every culture appears to have some sort of legend about vampires or hungry ghosts who feed on the energy of the living, in one way or another. Yet, very few of them bear any resemblance to Bela Lugosi descending the staircase, holding a flickering candle that improbably lights the cavernous great hall of his castle for the legendary cinematographer Karl Freund. And while some of these other folklores around the world are similar to the traditional Central European myths that have been incorporated into Gothic literature and cinematic lore, there are quite a few which depart from the traditional vampire lore.

The earliest account of these creatures of the night derives from Mesopotamia. Lamatsu was a serpent demon who reportedly stole children from their homes and devoured them. Another incarnation of Lamatsu appears later, in the guise of Lilith. In early Hebraic writings, Lilith took the form of a winged demon with the body of a woman with owl-like talons for feet. She was reported to be the first wife of Adam (before Eve was created). Lilith was formed of the same earth from which Adam was created, therefore, she considered herself his equal. That being the case, Lilith refused to be submissive. She was subsequently banished to the demon realm. Lilith’s offspring were damned to become demons with Lilith taking the title of “Mother of Demons.”

In China, a vampire is created when a recently deceased corpse is possessed by a demon, usually after suicide or a violent death without a proper burial. Unlike the vampires in the West, the Chiang Shih (also known as Jiang Shi) is said to be covered with white or green hair over its entire body. It is also said to have long claws, teeth and glowing red eyes. I think it’s safe to say that it is hardly an attractive specimen when compared to the highly decorative vampires of True Blood. Breathing the Chiang Shih’s breath can be lethal but apparently, it can be repelled by garlic, salt and barriers of rice, thunder or a bullet.

In the Philippines, we have the Aswang. Apparently, the Aswang appears as a beautiful woman but at night, it is compelled to seek victims. It attacks by using a long tubular tongue to drink their blood. After feeding, it appears pregnant. One of the most fearsome creatures of Malay folklore is the Pontianak, a vampire like entity, she (the Pontianak is always female) is characterized by ear-piercing shrieks, long flowing hair and a penchant for the blood of children.

In Japan, we have the Gaki. Similar to the vampires in the West, it drinks the blood of corpses and appears pale-skinned, cold with hollow features. The can also shape-shift, transforming into animals or impersonating living people. Some of the oldest can stalk their prey invisibly. In Scotland, we have the BaoBahan Sith that usually disguises itself as a beautiful maiden who preys on young men, lured the victims to their deaths through song and dance. In folklore, it is said that this vampire always dresses in green to hide their cloven feet.

The Dearg-Due is a dreaded creature of Ireland whose name means blood sucker. An ancient vampire who dates back to Celtic times, it is still feared. The only way to curb its vampiric activities is to pile stones on the grave of any who might be suspected of housing such a beast. On the other hand, the Upier, a Polish vampire, is said to sleep in blood, rise at Midday and go to sleep at Midnight. It is also said to have a barbed tongue with which it consumes large amounts of blood. The Asanbosam, West African vampires, are unlike their European cousins, preferring to live in trees rather than coffins.  They take human form but instead of feet, they have iron teeth and hooks.

Let’s face it: unfortunately, the vampires of folklore pale in comparison when compared to True Blood’s Vampire Bill, with his Southern charm or even the Viking vampire, Eric Northman, who is really interesting. In Eric Northman, we have a powerful, dangerous, yet captivating 1000-year-old, leather-wearing, club owning vampire. Compare to these other loathsome creatures of folklore, what’s not to like about these particular vampire?

Source: Skyscanner

Photo credits: HBO Inc

Charlaine Harris Discusses Her Books with ABC News

For whatever reason, people can’t get enough of vampires these days. Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, has fans anxiously awaiting the next installment in her story, Dead in the Family, due out in May 2010. In the meantime, she will only offer teasers about what’s to come. That’s what she did in her recent interview with Cassie White from ABC News, where she also talked about the success of Twilight and her feelings about True Blood.

Charlaine suspects that people are drawn to vampires because of the intriguing notion of immortality. That eternal youth is an attractive thing. She accepts that her series is often compared to Twilight because of the human-vampire love story, but the originality of her ideas is clear given that Dead Until Dark was released before Twilight. She doesn’t think there needs to be a competition between the two series, and is in fact happy for Stephenie Meyer’s success:

“I see our series as complementing each other. I attract an older readership generally, though I think we do share quite a few readers and I’m glad of that. But I don’t think people are just going to buy one book, or go see just one vampire movie or TV show a year. I think they’re going to want to experience different shadings of offerings in those fields.”

She seems to be very gracious on this subject, holding the view that there’s plenty of vampire fandom to share!

Charlaine loves True Blood, the television adaptation of her work. She appreciates being surprised when events are different than in her books, but she is also excited when something she wrote makes it to the screen:

“Every now and then they use a line I wrote and it just tickles me pink when I hear it. And I love to see my credit at the beginning of every show.”

She has a great relationship of trust with the show’s creator, Alan Ball, and knows what it means to have your work adapted–they can change whatever they want. She put Sookie into Alan’s care because he understood the essence of the story:

“I had to hand all control over to Alan Ball. But having said that, I was pretty careful about who I handed it over to. So I really can’t complain about what he’s done and in fact I’m very happy.”

Alan did, however, get Charlaine into a bit of trouble with fans of her Southern gentleman vampire, Bill Compton, when he mentioned at the Paley Center panel with the True Blood writers that she almost killed Bill at the end of book 9, Dead and Gone:

“I did not kill Bill. Alan sort of said something at PaleyFest in an interview. He said, ‘Charlaine thought about killing Bill in the last book but she was talked out of it.’ That was something of a mis-statement and I certainly wish he hadn’t made it! In casual conversation I mentioned that had been one of the possible endings for Dead and Gone and that I’d thought about it and discarded it. But the truth is, and I think almost every writer does this, I’ve considered killing every character at one time or another, and some of them I follow through with. but some I decide I need to be alive.”

So what does that mean for Bill’s future is still pretty unclear. Charlaine did reveal that Sookie would not be having any steamy, intimate moments with her first love in book 10, but she would not explain further what are Bill’s chances for being the one for Sookie.

One question that was sent in to Charlaine by a reader for the interview was regarding a statement that Charlaine once made that she didn’t understand why so many fans love Eric so much? The reader wanted clarification to this statement since in her eyes she felt that Charlaine had written the Eric character as always being there for Sookie, fulfilling her needs, being truthful and being emotionally connected to Sookie.

“I’m not denying that’s one side of Eric, but he’s also a ruthless killer and I think some of my readers tend to forget that in their enthusiasm for his sexier habits.”

Charlaine doesn’t plays favorites when it comes to which suitor for Sookie she enjoys writing the most. She enjoys writing about all of them and that each of them have qualities that she admires otherwise she would have never created them and made them likely candidates for Sookie’s attention and affection.

SOURCES:

abc.net.au

blogs.abc.net.au

(Photo credit: Albert L. Ortego / PR Photos)

Bill And Eric On The List For The Battle Of The Hottest Vampires

In a list that is sure to start some heated arguments, GuidetoBeautySchools.com ranks the hottest male vampires of film and television. Read on to find out where your favorites from True Blood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twilight, and The Vampire Diaries stand, and then feel free to defend or rearrange them in the comments!

20. Stuart Townsend- Lestat, Queen of the Damned

19. Paul Wesley- Stefan, The Vampire Diaries

18. Ethan Hawke- Edward, Daybreakers

17. Aidan Turner- Mitchell, Being Human

16. Kellan Lutz- Emmett Cullen, Twilight

15. Jason Patric- Michael, The Lost Boys

14. Alex O’Loughlin- Mick St. John, Moonlight

13. Tom Cruise- Lestat de Lioncourt, Interview with the Vampire

12. Ian Somerhalder- Damon Salvatore, The Vampire Diaries

11. Gerard Butler- Dracula, Dracula 2000

10. Stephen Moyer- Bill Compton, True Blood

9. Wesley Snipes- Blade, Blade

8. Jason Dohring- Josef Kostan, Moonlight

7. Brad Pitt- Louis de Pointe du Lac, Interview with the Vampire

6. Kiefer Sutherland- David, The Lost Boys

5. David Boreanaz- Angel, Buffy the Vampre Slayer/Angel

4. Antonio Banderas- Armand, Interview with the Vampire

3. Alexander Skarsgard- Eric Northman, True Blood

2. Robert Pattinson- Edward Cullen, Twilight

1. James Marsters- Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel

Their reasoning behind Bill being relatively low on the list is that, good looks and old-fashioned manners aside, he is not very interesting. And he doesn’t dress well. There are not enough words in the English language to disagree with that as strongly as I would like to. First of all, Bill can never go wrong with a henley and some tight pants. Or with no clothes at all. Also, how is it not interesting to have a vampire who is tortured by what he is?! He was turned against his will simply because he was a good man that Lorena found worthy to be her companion. He almost staked himself to stop from being a monster like his maker wanted him to be. He fell in love with Sookie and has found his way back to his humanity. He’s still a vampire and flawed. So sometimes he slips up and does something wrong, but he has someone who loves him and forgives him because she knows that he would sacrifice himself to protect her. If that’s not layered, I don’t know what is!

Eric earned a higher spot on the list because he is more of a bad boy, but why that automatically makes him hotter is beyond me.

On the one hand we have a whiney, questionable dresser, who plays Wii. On the other hand, we have a powerful, leather-wearing, club owning badass who can tell the other hand what to do.

This is clearly a matter of opinion, and the debate between Bill and Eric among True Blood fans will never be resolved. We’ve all got to agree to disagree on that one. But what we can all agree on is how crazy we are about this show. It has two great guys to fantasize over, both of whom should be higher on a list of hottest vampires than #10 and #3. And this is coming from someone who also watches Buffy and loves Spike and Angel, but seriously- True Blood is by nature sexier. Thoughts?

SOURCE: guidetobeautyschools.com

(Photo credits: HBO Inc.)

Stephen Moyer on Vampires and Love Scenes

Stephen Moyer, True Blood’s darkly handsome Bill Compton, shows off his lighter, humorous personality in real life. In Now Magazine’s “Cheeky Questions” feature, he answered several questions about getting naked for work.

In general, Stephen sees nudity as a regular part of acting because it’s a regular part of life:

“When you’re a young actor starting out, usually the young character is the love interest. I’ve done that for 15 years and it’s always like: how long before I get my kit off? It’s a novelty when I get to keep my clothes on! But we all make love, we all kiss, we all have sexual relationships with people and it’s funny to me that people are surprised that those things feature in dramas because it would be strange to me if they didn’t.”

The specific scene that had fans talking was the graveyard scene in Season one’s “The Fourth Man in the Fire.” Stephen laughs about the reality behind that scene, which had him emerging from the ground covered in dirt:

“That was me in the earth–it wasn’t a butt double! I hadn’t really thought about it, to be honest–I was too busy lifting weights in the gym! But you get earth in bits you wouldn’t want it to get into!”

Fans were also curious about what made him fall in love with Anna, and as always Stephen responded with great praise for his fiancee:

“She’s sharp, she’s funny, she’s brilliant, she’s incredibly talented and she’s an ultimate professional. She’s probably the most straight-talking woman I’ve ever met and she’s caring, generous, and kind. And I think she’s beautiful.”

For their intimate scenes together, they are obviously very comfortable with each other. This gives them the freedom to add some variety to how they film those moments between Sookie and Bill. Above all, they want it to be natural:

“I would love to think that, as a professional, if I have to have a love scene with somebody else it would be just as good! There’s a scene in Season two in which Sookie and Bill consume each other in bed. We’d done naked blood sex and romantic sex so we thought: ‘How could we make this look different?’ “

It is certainly no surprise that Stephen would be thrilled about his job! He gushed over how working on True Blood is a dream. The characters are deeply layered, even the vampires. It’s not just a one-dimensional supernatural show. They are able to balance many tones. Comedy, romance, drama, violence, social meaning–True Blood has everything.

Stephen joked that if he could bite someone’s neck, it would be musician Tom Waits:

“If I could get a little bit of his blood it could do something crazy to me…he’s my all-time hero.”

This interview is just another example of what a fun guy Stephen is, and how much he enjoys being part of True Blood and talking about it with the fans who sometimes send him strange items in the mail.

“I get everything from knickers to plasters for covering neck bites.  I was recently send a photo of a naked German lady lying down next to her white horse?”

SOURCE: nowmagazine.co.uk via confuzzledreel.blogspot.com

(Photo Credit: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos via exposay.com)

True Blood Season 3 Spoilers: Alan Ball and the Writers Reveal

Alan Ball, writers Raelle Tucker and Alexander Woo spoke with SciFiWire recently and revealed 12 major spoilers points for season 3 of True Blood.  So get ready True Blood fans for some major spoilers news. Remeber if you do not want to know DO NOT read any further.

Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer): Alan confirmed that the storyline of Bill’s kidnapping will last for”about six episodes.” However we don’t know if that means that it will be back-to-back from episodes 1-6 or will be spread out throughout the season.  This is one fans are definitely going to be talking about.

Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell): As stated before, in season 3 Sam will be busy trying to find his family which Raelle Tucker will get to write their characters a lot in episode 2. She states that:

“I’m getting to write Sam’s family, which is a lot of fun, and, really, I feel really satisfying as a character arc,” she said. “I really am glad that he’s taking this journey and he’s learning about himself. I find that interesting. They aren’t the brightest people, maybe. At least they appear that way. They’re fairly dysfunctional, but like anybody else, they have their good things about them and not so good things. They’re still getting to know each other. Sam’s still getting to know them and so are we.”

Werewolves:  Alan states that the werewolves in season 3 are going to be just wolves.  They will be people who can transforms into wolves who will be bigger and stronger with their eyes glowing orange a little bit.

Supernatural World:  Alexander Woo explains that season 3 is not only about the supernatural world of vampires, werewolves and shapshifters but he is also excited about the expanding world that will occur in the next season.

“The entire world is going to get a lot bigger,” Woo said. “Not only the human world, but in Sookie’s eyes, she’s going to see the whole supernatural world. Luckily, since this show is through Sookie’s eyes, as an audience we’ll get to see a much larger supernatural world.”

Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin):  Raelle states that Sookie’s powers will expand in season 3 to not only include her telepathy but her expanding powers such as her glowing hands.  “I think that Sookie is conscious of her abilities more this season than she’s been, and she’s questioning them more,” Tucker said. “We’re going to be exploring that more this season.”

Vampire King of Mississippi (Denis O’Hare):  Alan states that the Vampire King of Mississippi in season three will be a contrast to Sophie-Anne, the Vampire Queen of Louisiana (Evan Rachel Wood).

“He’s older,” Ball said. “He’s much more mature. He’s much more methodical and grounded. She’s kind of crazy. To me, she’s kind of like Paris Hilton/Lindsay Lohan, where she has a very short attention span and she’s very, very egomaniacal and very self-obsessed and doesn’t really think about her actions whereas the vampire king is very much an adult. He has an agenda. He has things he wants to achieve. I think he’s much more formidable than she is.”

Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten):  This season Jason seems to get a little break from all the mayhem he endured in season 2.  According to Raelle this season will focus on Jason NOT getting into trouble and staying out of trouble’s way.  This will be interesting to see how it plays out considering Jason was the one who shot Eggs at the end of season 3.

Queen Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood):  Evan will be returning in season 3 in her role as Queen Sophie-Anne who is engaged in selling “V” which may get her in trouble in some way.

“Well, Sophie-Anne, when last we left her, she was sort of behind this selling of “V” as a recreational drug on the streets pretty much,” Ball said. “That’s not something a vampire authority figure should be doing. If higher-up vampire authority figures figure that out, they’re not going to be happy.”

Biker Gang:  In season three we will see the introduction of a biker gang called Coot’s F–k You Crew which Raelle states that the new characters are still evolving and won’t be what they appear to be.  As Raelle explains this biker gang is very mysterious and has been around much longer then alot of people think.  Raelle wouldn’t elaborate any further, simply stating that “I don’t want to say too much about them right now because I think that we are in the early stages of figuring that out.”

Tommy Mickens:  Alexander Woo informed SciFiWire that he is writing the material for this new character which he states “will make a huge impact on our favorite characters.” Without giving too much away Woo states that Tommy Mickens will play a “very prominently in the emotional life of at first one, and then later several other of our characters. He’ll be the first domino to push the rest.”

Headgear:  Now this one I must admit has me wondering what the writers are referring to. Whether they are referring to actual headgear to be wore by the characters or a metaphor for a protective shell that the characters will place around themselves. Raelle explains helmets became a joke in the writer’s room with the writers becoming aware they were relying too much on protective headgear.

“There’ve been several moments that we’ve been pitching things and thought, ‘Oh, well, maybe she could be wearing a helmet and that would protect her. Maybe he could wear a helmet in that scene,’” Tucker recalled. “Suddenly we realized we had a whole bunch of characters wearing helmets for no particular reason. So we thought oh, that’s the theme of the season.”

Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard):  With the Eric fans demanding more screen time for him and a big romantic link between Eric and Sookie, the writers state that does not occur until much later in Charlaine Harris‘ books .   As Raelle states:

“You know what’s funny is that he’s in the first two books, he’s a fairly minor character in Sookie’s universe,” Tucker said. “There’s a lot of fan pressure that they’re supposed to be this big romantic thing, which actually in Charlaine [Harris]’s books doesn’t happen until much, much further down. I think if we did that, we’d probably bore them all to death. I think part of the magic of Eric is some of the mystery of Eric and the inaccessibility of Eric. I think you don’t want to turn them into the nice romantic love interest who’s in every scene. I think his danger is important so not just throwing him up whenever somebody wants to see his bare chest is actually a more disciplined approach.”

So there you have it, the latest spoilers.  So now lets start speculating as we wait for the return of Season 3 of True Blood.

SOURCE: SciFiWire.com

(Photo credit: HBO Inc.)

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